The Big Four, the commoditisation of legal services and encroaching global firms are threats keeping managing partners from Mexico City to Rio de Janeiro up at night. At a roundtable in San José, partners told Tom Muskett-Ford why firms in Central America, the most integrated market in Latin America, can face off some of those threats with a new wave of consolidation, which could see them expand beyond Central America’s borders to stay ahead of the competition.

As law firms in Latin America grow and face new competitive challenges, the pressure to re-evaluate partner compensation systems is on. As more law firms change to models that reward performance, how can law firm leaders appear objective and fair when sharing out the pie? asks Rosie Cresswell

The Big Four, the commoditisation of legal services and encroaching global firms are threats keeping managing partners from Mexico City to Rio de Janeiro up at night. At a roundtable in San José, partners told Tom Muskett-Ford why firms in Central America, the most integrated market in Latin America, can face off some of those threats with a new wave of consolidation, which could see them expand beyond Central America’s borders to stay ahead of the competition.

Leading law firms in Latin America and the US have had some success in increasing diversity among their rank and file, but a lack of leadership from an overwhelmingly white, male partnership in most firms is still preventing many women and lawyers from different ethic and socio-economic backgrounds from reaching the top positions, according to delegates at a diversity and inclusion conference at the New York City Bar Association earlier this week.